The US Vice President’s harsh statements about Russia are his own, not a preplanned move by the White House, says political analyst Ivan Eland.
The Vice President told the Wall Street Journal that Russia's economy is “withering”, and said that Russia's internal problems will force it to make concessions with the West.
He also claimed that Russia wants to achieve agreements with the US to reduce their nuclear arsenals because it cannot afford to keep its stockpile, forcing US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to come out with a statement that Washington views Russia as a great country.